Well, Nintendo’s back in the VR game, sort of, with a new Virtual Boy.
Retro games and a Virtual Boy accessory for the Switch and Switch 2 will be available on Feb. 17 next year.
Nintendo’s making it an official part of the Switch experience, though, with a new library of Switch Online games for Virtual Boy.
Nintendo’s plastic Virtual Boy accessory, shown off at the Nintendo Direct, looks exactly like the old Virtual Boy, bulky and weird as ever.
The Nintendo 3DS had its own 3D display (but no Virtual Boy games), and shipped with AR games at launch.
I’m always curious about when Nintendo will return to virtual reality. Earlier this year, I did in fact ask Shigeru Miyamoto about it.
With a new Virtual Boy, Nintendo has sort of returned to the VR market. In February, the Switch and Switch 2 will get retro games and a Virtual Boy accessory. 17 the following year. .
In a Direct livestream on Friday, the company announced a number of things for Mario’s 40th anniversary, including new remasters of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2. Virtual Boy was one of those announcements.
With the advent of an emulator that allowed games to be played on contemporary VR headsets, Nintendo’s long-lost stereoscopic game console from 1996 has been brought back to life. With the release of a new library of Switch Online games for the Virtual Boy, Nintendo is formally integrating it into the Switch experience. You’ll also need a new black and red accessory to play the games.
Shown off at the Nintendo Direct, Nintendo’s plastic Virtual Boy accessory is just as big and strange as the original Virtual Boy. It can accommodate the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 so that 3D black and red games can be played. Additionally, a cardboard version of the games is available for play, which is likely to be significantly less expensive than the plastic Virtual Boy replica.
Nintendo’s experiments with virtual reality are not new. In 2019, Nintendo Labo VR, a cardboard kit for the Switch that could play a number of VR games with cardboard add-ons, was released. At launch, the Nintendo 3DS came with AR games and a 3D display, but no Virtual Boy games. The Mario Kart ride at Universal’s theme parks already projects overlaid experiences using an AR visor. AR effects are also integrated into the Mario Kart Live RC car game.
As of right now, Nintendo hasn’t shown any interest in supporting a plug-in VR or AR headset for the Switch 2. Even with plug-in display glasses, the Switch 2 requires a large adapter to function. However, the Virtual Boy demonstrates Nintendo’s continued curiosity or nostalgia. or both. With this on my face for a thorough review, I’ll see you next year.
